FIFA Report -- Women's Player of Year Shortlist; Headscarf Debate Ahead

FIFA Women’s Player of Year Shortlist

Two players from Japan’s World Cup winning team are in the running for FIFA’s Women’s World Player of the Year award.

Aya Miyama and Homare Sawa, who was named the top player of the tournament in Germany, made a shortlist of 10 athletes announced Monday by world football’s governing body. They’re up against reigning four-time winner Marta from Brazil.

Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach and Hope Solo, who led the U.S. to the final game in Germany, are also on the list.

Ten coaches of women’s national teams, including Japan’s Norio Sasaki, were also named to the FIFA World Coach of the Year shortlist.

Captains, head coaches and international media representatives selected by France Football will make the final decision, which will be announced at the second FIFA Ballon d’Or gala at the Zurich Kongresshaus on Jan. 9.

The shortlist for the men’s coach of the year and the Ballon d'Or – a combination of the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the France Football Ballon d’Or – will be released Nov. 1.

Headscarf Debate Ahead for FIFA Ex-Co

Two members of FIFA’s decision-making Executive Committee will soon recommend to their Ex-Co colleagues that women be allowed to cover their heads while playing football.

Newly elected vice president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Medical Committee chairman Michel D’Hooghe were both part of a seminar titled "Football and the Hijab: Moving Forward" held Monday in Amman, Jordan as part of the Asian Football Development Project.

Following presentations from experts, officials as well as current and former playersfrom Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, participants arrived at a series of conclusions.

Chief among them was that "the hijab is not a religious symbol, slogan, or statement and rather is in abidance with culture" as well as that world football’s governing body must allow the customary head scarf moving forward.

FIFA recently fielded complaints from the football federation of Iran after its women’s team was banned from an Olympic qualifier because of its Islamic dress. At the time, FIFA insisted team officials were well-aware that the hijab is bannedfor safety reasons – and has been since 2007.

FIFA previously banned Iran in April 2010 for similar kits. Its girls instead opted for specially made caps at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Should the Ex-Co agree at its December meeting to alter FIFA’s stance, the International Football Association Board would still need to change the Laws of the Game at its next meeting, scheduled for March 3 in England.

Budweiser Remains Official World Cup Beer

Anheuser-Busch InBev is extending its partnership with FIFA through 2022.

Through this second-tier sponsorship, Budweiser will be the official beer of the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and in Qatar in 2022.

The alcoholic beverage company has worked with FIFA for 25 years.

"Ever since joining the FIFA sponsorship family for the 1986 FIFA World Cup Budweiser has played a vital role in helping to develop our flagship event, effectively supporting us in bringing the event closer to fans all over the world," said FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke.

Written by Ann Cantrell.